Bamboo shoots - a popular specialty of Tan Ky

(Baonghean.vn) - Loi bamboo shoots are a specialty bamboo shoot variety found only in the mountains and forests of Tan Ky. With a characteristic sweet and mild flavor, they are popular with many people, helping local people earn extra income and improve their lives.

Bamboo shoots are a type of “wild vegetable” that grows abundantly on the top of Pu Loi mountain in Tien Ky commune, Tan Ky district. Bamboo shoots grow quickly and form thick clusters with small stems, long shoot tips, pointed leaves and shiny skin.

Loi bamboo shoots are related to bamboo shoots, and only grow in highland, cold climates. Loi bamboo shoots are in season, so people in the mountainous communes of Tien Ky, Dong Van, Tan Hop (Tan Ky) carry their backpacks up the mountain to pick bamboo shoots from 3am and sell them to traders at a price of 25,000 - 30,000 VND/kg peeled.

Bamboo shoots are prepared by using a thin, sharp knife to gently cut through the entire skin to get fresh, delicious sprouts. The younger the buds and the greener the tubes, the sweeter and crispier the bamboo shoots will be. Photo: Phuong Thuy

Mr. Vi Xuan Thao, a bamboo shoot picker in Tien Ky commune, said: "This year, there has been a lot of rain, so early-season bamboo shoots are easy to find. Every year, from July to October, people rush to the forest to pick bamboo shoots before the sun rises. Because it takes more than 2 hours to walk from the foot of the mountain to the top of the mountain, on a good day, we can get about 30-40kg, and on a less good day, we can get 20kg. This product is very popular, sometimes there are days when there are so many orders that there are not enough to sell."

According to Ms. Vi Thi Xuan in Dong Van commune, bringing the bamboo shoots home is not simple at all. It takes a whole day of digging to fill a basket. Although it is hard work, each time I go to pick them, I can sell them for nearly 300,000 VND, helping my family earn more income."

After being picked, the bamboo shoots are processed by using a thin, sharp knife to gently cut off the entire skin to reveal the young shoots. The greener the bamboo shoots, the crispier and sweeter they are.

At this time, peeled bamboo shoots are sold at markets in Tan Ky district and imported to restaurants in Do Luong, Nghia Dan, Vinh city... with prices ranging from 35,000 - 40,000 VND/kg.

Bamboo shoots are in high demand at Tan Ky town market, currently priced at 35,000 - 40,000 VND/kg. Photo: Phuong Thuy

Ms. Nguyen Thi Nga, a bamboo shoot vendor in Tan Ky district said:Bamboo shoots are a local specialty wild vegetable that many people buy to eat or give as gifts to their family and friends. She and some people buy bamboo shoots in Tien Ky commune to import to consumers. Currently, she sells about 70kg of bamboo shoots per day. During the main season, there are days when she sells nearly 150kg, earning a profit of more than 1 million VND/day. There are many days when there is no bamboo shoot to sell, because this is a wild bamboo shoot variety, so it is difficult to find, depending on how much the bamboo picker earns.

Bamboo shoots are processed by Tan Ky people into many different specialties such as boiled bamboo shoots, stewed bamboo shoots, stir-fried bamboo shoots, pickled bamboo shoots... More unique and delicious is bamboo shoots put in bamboo tubes and grilled over red charcoal. The aroma of bamboo shoots blends with the sweetness of bamboo tubes to create an attractive and unforgettable aftertaste./.

Phuong Thuy